dailyjo2003

Are they worth the $100.00 plus you have to pay for them? I always get the cheapo $15.00 sunglasses - because I always seem to break them.

Are Oakleys more durable?
Do they offer better sun protection?
Are there cheaper brands of the same quality?

I'd buy them if they are worth the cash because they are quality, but I could care less about having the brand name.

Thanks!

the_marq

I have one pair of Oakleys and about 5 other pairs of shades.

The Oakleys are my favorites for these reasons:
*they look kick ass, I love the styling (I have A-Wires)
*the optics are great, clear and undistorted
*they fit my GIANT head really well

Over the years I have gone thru about 6 pairs of Oakelys and have only broken one pair, in a face plant off a bicycle in Mia Jima (if you must know ). The others I have just lost

There are a ton of knock offs that look "almost" like Oakelys (I have two of these) but when you get into the knock offs the optics are not nearly as good. I wish I could tell you more about UV-A and UV-B protection, but I really don't know too much about it.

Also, check out Oakely's warranty on their website .

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Redlemon

From Consumer Reports:
Note that many contact lenses also provide UV protection.

Personally, I like the look of Oakleys, but I can't wear them. When I put on a pair of Oakley wraparound-style glasses, my eyelashes scrape against the lens. I ended up with a nice pair of Gargoyles instead.

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kutulu

I have a problem with losing my sunglasses, therefore I don't spend much on them.

CoachAlan

Personally, I prefer Ray Bans. There's just no beating optical quality glass, especially the G20. G20's can be pretty expensive, and if you lose them all the time and haven't gotten spoiled by good optics, I wouldn't recommend changing now. Cheap plastic glasses are plenty useful and stylish.

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xeem

I have a pair of Oakleys, yeap they are good.

But it would be cool if you got the fotochromic lenses (not sure of the spelling). They change colour according to the exposure in sunlight. Oakleys SHOULD have em.

I don't they they're worth the price. With all that UV thingie. I don't wear my Oakleys that often anyways. So buy your 15 dollar shades, unless you are planning to splurge on style, then go ahead.

jaco

Well, not even an issue of style with mine. I got some titanium framed oakleys for i think $250 or so back in '99. I still have these glasses, frames have been stepped on, throw down, kicked, etc. and they are still perfect. I need to replace the lenses because of a run in with some concrete but what can you expect?

I figure that in about 5 years of buying $15 pairs of sunglasses that would constantly be broken and replaced, I have probably come out ahead even in cost.

edit: they are Romeo X-metal oakleys

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mr sticky

We must be related...I go to the dollar store and buy, like five pairs at a time. They usually last me a coupla' months.

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cliche

When I was rowing we were given (at 75% off so "only" 30GBP) Oakleys by the company. I have to say I wasn't impressed - they were called 'racing jackets' I think, and the outer coating kept peeling off (this is within a month or so of delivery). Certainly not worth over a hundred pounds, and probably not even worth the 30 I paid!

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Willy

I used to know a guy that would only use $600+ fly rods. He seemed to think it made a huge difference in his casting and he simply couldn't fish with the $100 "crap" rods from Cabelas. Then a guy at the fly shop challenged him to cast an expensive rod and a cabela's rod (with tape over the labels) and tell them wich was which and he couldn't do it.

The point is, some people don't feel good about their stuff unless they spend as much as they can afford on it, and people saying things like "better optics" always makes me raise an eyebrow. What does that mean?

IMO with a pair of oakleys you're mostly paying for marketing that they have done to get the perception of "cool". Stuff like UV protection, polarized lenses, etc can easily be found in much cheaper glasses, but you don't get that big elongated "o" on the side that lets everyone know you spent a lot of money on your glasses.

fckm

You can just wear coke bottle bottoms. UV light doesn't penetrate glass.

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hrdwrjnkie

The only time that the oakleys are worth it is if you have a need or a reason to block out all that UVA and UVB. I have (due to an industrial accident) extremely sensitive eyes when it comes to UV. Most people will step out in the bright sun and squint for a few minutes, then their eyes will adjust. My eyes no longer adjust automatically, So i spen $150/pair on my Oaks. If you have no problem living without shades on sunny days, go for the nice $15 pair at Wal-Mart.

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dailyjo2003

Thanks for the advice. I went to the store and couldn't justify $150+ for sunglasses, so I bought a $10.00 pair of no-names on sale.

jdubz

I've owned and still have about 5 pairs over the years.

It's the only eyewear I will have. You must take care of your eyes and hell, why not look good doin it?

cdnjeepin

Hell yeah they are worth it..I have owned prolly 6 or 7 pairs over the years..Right now I have a pair of Straight Jackets with the fire Iridium lens.. They are so clear and nice to look through..Its the lens quality I like

Thinking about getting another pair, maybe some wires

jdubz

I want some Juliets but damn, 250 bucks, most ive paid is 170


Someone hook a brotha up

cdnjeepin

Try buying them in Canada...damn they are uber $$ here

jdubz

All you gotta do is holla at a dood and he could buy and ship to ya..

















for free jeep parts

whocarz

I don't wear sunglasses, and I've never thought they were "cool" looking either. I figure I'll spend my money on more important crap.

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skinnymofo

i too prefer raybans, but its mostly the style for me, i have semi big eyebrows and i hate seeing them with more wrap around style glasses.
Aviators are my favorite and rayban is the best "cheap" high quality sun glasses that make these styles.
btw i might add, once you buy a pair of good shades, its very easy to justify spending the cash you did on them once summer rolls around. Also since they cost 10x or more the price of trash glasses you tend to keep track of them more

Helpher811

sunglasses???

well, just my two cents... I think Willy mentioned it, Marketing is a huge factor. I have seen the ads and all the marketing Oakley and rayban do, especially in malls and such.

Marketing is not free. The money for that comes from somewhere. It is not R&D that pays for marketing, it's YOU.

Some industries, I really wonder what they really make. Sunglasses, or nice ad campaigns.

That said, I love my Raybans. I look like Roy Orbison, just the advertisements said I would!!!

don't ask me to drive, tho. can't see a thing!

ratbastid

A buddy of mine has a pair of "Oakey" brand sunglasses that cost $8. He felt like they were worth the cost.

I'm with kutulu and mr sticky--I lose or break sunglasses at a rate that's way too high to buy nice glasses. My current pair set me back $6 at the "$6 Sunglasses" store in Philly, when I was there for vacation a few weeks back.

matteo101

I dont get anything but good glasses. Right now im wearing spy sunglasses. I don't have a huge problem with losing them, I like a pair that doesnt feel like a piece of crap on my face, that looks nice, and that blocks out the sun and has a sweet lens. Crappy sunglasses arent my deal, I would rather buy one nice pair.

Journeyman

Having a dent in the bridge of my nose leads to most pairs of shades being crooked on my face, so I really never saw a point in spending a month of paychecks on them. That said, I'm still wearing the same $6 pair that I bought from a gas station over a year ago.

kurty[B]

The cheapo sunglasses sit crooked on my noggin', and it simply bugs me! I've gone through various sunglass store's selection, and after forcing the nice lady to open every cabinet for me, the Oakley A or C-wires were the only ones that sit right. I feel sorry for that lady, I didn't even buy a pair that day.

gonadman

My father sat on my Ray Bans once, crushing them. I sent them to the company asking how much to fix em and they sent me back a shiny new pair free

Just some interesting info for ya. Use it as you will

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avsdude

I personally liike Revos. Had the same pair for five years now.

brandon11983

As others have mentioned here, I too have very light senstitive eyes. Oakley are the only shades that my eyes have ever been comfortable with. My first pair were E Wire and I bought a pair of Juliet's about a year later. My Juliets were (wear prescription eyeglasses now, don't have the green for prescription shades yet) the best money I've ever spent on sunglasses. To those that dismiss spending high dollar on shades because they worry about losing or breaking them, just think of the money you spent on them before you put them in a potentially dangerous situation. When you spend $275 on shades, you WILL take care of them. My Juliets are about 5 years old, and are in near perfect condition. Working as an Oakley retailer for over 2 years I got in the know on all their little advancements. Call it what you will, but at the most basic level I feel Oakley is unparalleled at keeping the sun out of my eyes. Money permitting, I would like to have a pair of prescription Ducati Juliets.

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orphen

sun glasses protect you from the matrix and agents and that's what they're good for. don't wear them? they'll put a weird eye bug in you. [/stupid]

i like ray bans too but i always lose mine.. so...

xeem

Oh yeah, I forgot. Oakley has that fish bowl vision thingy.

Like.. erm, haha, how to explain? you have a wider view with certain type of lenses? Because of the shape of the lense or the way the light is refracted, you can see wider.

Something like that

kulrblind

I like my Smith (Toasters)... for $150 Cdn, you get three lenses you can swap out (dark, orange, and yellow). I wore a pair of Oakleys fo ra while, and found that the Smiths fit my head better than Oakleys for about the same price, if not cheaper, and I've kept them for three years now. Also, they stay on my head when I play outdoor sports (yay!).

There's some truth to the notion that if you pay more for them, you'll take better care of them. It's not always true, as I lost a pair of Ray Ban Sidestreets that I subsequently replaced and then realised I hated (wanna buy a pair of RayBans, cheap?) prior to picking up the Smith pair I still have now.

cdnjeepin

I started with Oakley googles when I started snowboarding many moons ago..There googles were so clear thats what made me try the glasses..and I will never switch..I love the clarity of em

Cynthetiq

I learned to hang them from the back of my neck shirt collar. I've kept pairs as long as 10 years.

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r_3

i've been changing labels ever since starting riding (road bikes, mountain bikes and moto) and only ever found oakleys to fit my face most comfortably (sp?). i've own six pairs (straight jackets v1, eyejackets v1, racing jackets, pro m-frame, straight jackets v2 and valves) so far and still wear all of them from time to time. the new half jackets (with interchangeable lens) and dartboard would be my next purchase.. them are sex. visual clarity are the best with oakleys, (IMO). i've tried on spy, rayban, smith, rudy project and dragon.

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basmoq

I can agree with you on paying a bit for the marketing of oakleys, but when it comes to "Better Optics" this is not only a fact, but easily measurable by instrumentation available at eyeglass shops. better optics in oakleys means that the lenses distort your vision less than simple $5 lenses (most noticable at the outer sides of the lenses). Also, rather than being coated on only one side, better lenses are layered, making it harder to scratch off the actual polarizer and tinting, and if you know anythign about physics, the thickness of the lense at different parts of the lense makes a big difference as to the focus. I could go on, but I feel like I'm ranting...

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Mac1

I bought some "Oaklly" shades in Taiwan for 150 NT ($5US) and I enjoy them very much

WillyPete

Catch 22 regarding cost.
If you spend a lot on them, you'll be more careful and aware of damage to them.
Spend little and you don't give a shit.

If you snowboard or MX, then add them to your insurance claim at the end of the season.
I spend a lot on Oakley goggles as they're simply the best for me fit-wise and optically.

BoomTruck

In 5 years I have went through 3 pairs of $12.95 shades off the rack next to the fuel counter. They fit, they're dark enough to do some good, and if I drop them off a roof or something (happened a time or 3) I don't panic, I just knock the dirt off of them and go on.

I used to wear mirrored wraparound safety glasses all the time, but it became difficult to find styles that didn't irritate me.

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Key

a lot of people associate high priced sunglasses with brand name clothing. the distinct difference though, is that a good pair of sunglasses is an investment- it actually works to protect your eyes. a cheapo goodwill jacket vs $300 abercrombie? eh, both will do the same thing. not so with glasses. why would i risk my EYESIGHT because i wanted to save some bucks?

that's always been my perception (no pun intended), so i guess it's no surprise i've always used oakleys and/or raybans. right now i'm on a pair of raybans, i've stopped using oakleys but only because of the style. i still use them for sports like snowboarding, but casual wear raybans work better.

i read an article a while ago comparing cheapo oakley ripoffs and the real stuff. the most notable thing was that the cheapo stuff was noted as being MORE dangerous for your eyes than not wearing ANYTHING at all. the reason? by darkening the visible light that's exposed to your eyes, your pupils open up. this allows even more UV light in (which cheapo glasses aren't quite as effective at preventing). i'm not a physicist so i can't comment on the validity of it, but it wasn't the defining argument for me anyway as i'd already decided i wasn't going to use cheap knock offs.

merc22

I have been riding a road bike a lot lately and now wear sunglasses more often.

I've come to hate how most sunglasses slide down and I am looking at the road over the top of the sunglasses. What sunglasses are best for road biking?